Long Melford
Long Melford is a village in Essex, England, with a population of around 2,898. It has 1 pharmacy, around 9 restaurants and cafés, 8 bus stops, and the nearest railway station is Sudbury, 3.9 km away. There were around 10 recorded street crimes in June 2026, most commonly violence & sexual offences. This page gathers weather, crime, food hygiene, transport, flood risk, house prices, population, deprivation and your local MP for the Long Melford area — all from official UK open data.
On deprivation, the Braintree area is around the average in England (IoD2025). The wider council area has around 155,270 residents at roughly 254 people per km².
My Area Score
Good
Ranked 91st of 294 English council areas — better than 69% of them.
A percentile blend of eight open measures (100 = best in England); bars show this area’s England-wide percentile on each. See the rankings · methodology
Weather
9°COvercast
- Today: 11° / 7° · 17% rain
- Tomorrow: 11° / 7° · Overcast
Source: WeatherAPI
Daylight
Sunrise 06:59Sunset 16:21
9h 22m of daylight today
Next bank holiday: Christmas Day, Fri 25 Dec
Source: sunrise-sunset.org · gov.uk
Air quality
23US AQI · Good
Main pollutant: fine particles (PM2.5)
Source: WAQI · Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom
Air pollution (PM2.5)
- 7.0 µg/m³ average fine-particle (PM2.5) concentration
- 5.3% of adult (30+) deaths estimated attributable to fine-particle pollution
Lower is better for both figures.
Source: OHID Fingertips · 2024
Crime
21 reported · August 2026▲ 75% YoY
- Violence & sexual offences9
- Criminal damage & arson5
- Anti-social behaviour3
- Public order3
Neighbourhood team: Sudbury Rural North · Suffolk
Local policing priorities
- Numerous reports of ASB at Bures Recreational Ground where children will congregate and drink alcohol and other activities which is havin…
- Target those supplying drugs in our communities and protecting those vulnerable to associated exploitation
Source: data.police.uk (within ~1 mile)
Road safety
228 reported road collisions (2025)
77 killed or seriously injured · 283 casualties · 14.7 collisions per 10,000 residents
Source: DfT reported road collisions (STATS19)
Food hygiene
37 food businesses within 2 miles
- 33 rated 4–5 ★ (29 top)
- 1 rated 0–2 (poor)
Source: Food Standards Agency
Flood risk
Buses & trains
- Nearest station: Sudbury (4.5 km)
- 17 bus stops within ~½ mile
Live trains from Sudbury (Suffolk) (4.5 km):
Loading live departures…
Source: OpenStreetMap, National Rail
House prices
£330,089 average▲ 1.6% YoY
Across Braintree · to 2026-08
Source: UK House Price Index (HM Land Registry)
Private rents
£1,213 average monthly rent▲ 2% YoY
- 1 bed £850
- 2 bed £1,099
- 3 bed £1,354
Source: ONS Price Index of Private Rents · to 2026-08
Affordability
9.2× house price to earnings
A typical home costs 9.2 times median annual pay (10.0× for cheaper homes vs lower pay).
Source: ONS house price to workplace earnings ratio · 2025
Property sales
2,224 property sales in the last 12 months
12 months to May 2026
A busier or quieter market is not by itself good or bad. Monthly counts are small and volatile, so only the annual total is shown.
Source: HM Land Registry UK HPI, 12 months to 2026-05
EV charging
8 charging locations within ~8 km
- 1 with rapid charging (50 kW+)
- Fastest nearby: 50 kW
- Nearest: School Lane (0.9 km)
Source: Open Charge Map
Sport & leisure
- Swimming pools6
- Sports pitches5
- Playgrounds1
Source: OpenStreetMap (within ~1 mile)
Local news
- Braintree Town Hall shortlisted for Essex Wedding Award· 4 Nov 2026
- Cost of living programme delivers more than £559,000 financial impact for residents· 29 Oct 2026
- Braintree District celebrates volunteer and sporting heroes· 22 Oct 2026
- Council appeals for information following fly-tipping incident· 21 Oct 2026
- Council vows to continue raising concerns following Secretary of State call-in decision on Rivenhall Incinerator applications· 20 Oct 2026
Source: Braintree Council
Population
155,270 residents in Braintree · 254/km²
- Under 16: 18%
- 16–64: 61%
- 65+: 20%
Source: ONS Census 2021 (local authority)
Internal migration
- Moves in from elsewhere in the UK10,408
- Moves out to elsewhere in the UK8,406
- Net moves+2,002
Residential moves between local authorities (counts of moves, not people) · ONS Internal migration, YE Jun 2025
Deprivation
Around the average in England
Ranked 164 of 296 English local authorities (1 = most deprived)
Source: English Indices of Deprivation 2025
Council tax
£2,280 a year · Band D, 2026-27
Most homes here are Band C (29% of 71,120)
Source: VOA council-tax stock · MHCLG band levels 2026-27
Schools
68 schools · 21,326 pupils
52 primary · 8 secondary · 8 other
Ofsted: 30 of 33 graded schools rated Good or Outstanding (91%)
63 inspected under Ofsted’s 2024+ framework (graded by area, no single overall grade)
Secondary schools:
- Honywood SchoolGood
- Lift MaltingsRequires improvement
- Notley High School and Braintree Sixth FormRequires improvement
- Tabor AcademyRequires improvement
- Alec Hunter Academy
- Hedingham School and Sixth Form
- Lift New Rickstones
- The Ramsey Academy, Halstead
Source: DfE Get Information about Schools · Ofsted · Braintree
Care & health services
1,574 CQC-registered services
- Care homes408
- GP practices229
- Dentists312
- Homecare agencies474
- Hospitals & hospices40
CQC ratings: 88% of rated services Good or Outstanding · 17 Inadequate
Source: Care Quality Commission · Essex
Heritage & planning
- In a conservation area (Long Melford)
- Not in the Green Belt
- 189 listed buildings within ~1.5 km
Source: planning.data.gov.uk (England)
Planning decisions
238 applications decided
81.9% granted · 195 granted, 43 refused
Source: MHCLG planning statistics (PS2) · 2026 Q2
Your MP
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Recent votes:
- NoRailways Bill: Carry-over extension (Motion)
- AyeSporting Events Bill [Lords] Report: Amendment 8
- AyeSporting Events Bill [Lords] Report: Amendment 6
- NoBudget Resolution No. 86: High value council tax surcharge
Source: UK Parliament
Council control
Conservative majority
- Lab 9
- Con 30
- Grn 4
- Ref 1
- Oth 5
Source: Open Council Data UK (CC BY-SA)
Amenities nearby
- Schools1
- GPs & clinics1
- Pharmacies1
- Supermarkets1
- Parks & greens10
- Restaurants & cafés12
Source: OpenStreetMap (within ~1 mile)
Local businesses
7,625 active business enterprises in the area
Source: ONS UK Business Counts (2026)
Jobs
3 jobs advertised · £45,000 avg
e.g. Veterinary Surgeon, Delivery Rider - Scooter, Delivery Rider - Car
Source: Adzuna
Local economy
£826 median full-time weekly pay
2.8% of residents aged 16–64 claim unemployment-related benefits
£26,019 disposable income per head (2024)
Source: ONS / Nomis (claimant count · ASHE) · ONS regional GDHI
Energy efficiency
48% of homes rated EPC C or above
Most common band: D · 68,719 certificates
10.1% of households were in fuel poverty (2023)
Source: MHCLG EPC statistics · DESNZ sub-regional fuel poverty
Grid electricity
80% low-carbon electricity
Wind 49% · Nuclear 21% · Gas 18% · Biomass 11%
86 gCO₂/kWh · low intensity
Latest estimate for East England · National Grid ESO
Health
Life expectancy: 83.9 yrs women · 80.5 yrs men
Healthy life expectancy (Essex): 62.4 women · 62.7 men
75% of adults overweight or obese
Source: OHID Fingertips · 2025
Wellbeing
- Life satisfaction7.3
- Feeling worthwhile7.7
- Happiness yesterday7.6
- Anxiety yesterday (lower is better)3.1
Average rating out of 10 · ONS personal well-being 2022-23
Health services
5 GP surgeries · 10 pharmacies in CO10
- Hardwicke House Group Practice
- Glemsford Surgery
- Siam Surgery
Source: NHS Organisation Data Service
Local petitions
Open UK Parliament petitions most signed in South Suffolk:
- Hold a UK-wide briefing on climate and nature risks314 local signatures · 127,144 nationwide
- Automatic extension for Non- Molestation order when it is breached232 local signatures · 10,314 nationwide
- Support the Ceramics Industry and protect British manufacturing jobs and skills180 local signatures · 111,154 nationwide
- Protect legal right to support for children with SEND169 local signatures · 111,357 nationwide
- Change surrogacy law to recognise intended parents from birth167 local signatures · 113,305 nationwide
Source: petition.parliament.uk · as of 2026-10-05
Notable places nearby
Long Melford · 0.3 kmLong Melford, colloquially and historically also referred to as Melford, is a large village and civil parish in the Babergh district, in the county of Suffolk, England. It is on Suffolk's border with Essex, which is m…
- Long Melford F.C. · 0.3 km
Long Melford Football Club is a football club based in Long Melford, Suffolk, England. Affiliated to the Suffolk County FA, they are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Division One North and play at Ston…
Liston, Essex · 0.9 kmListon is a small village and civil parish in North Essex, England, located one mile WSW of Long Melford, on the banks of the River Stour. Its parish church dates back to the 12th century, in parts. The parish borders…
Melford Hall · 1.0 kmMelford Hall is a stately home in the village of Long Melford, Suffolk, England. Since 1786 it has been the seat of the Parker Baronets and is still lived in by the Hyde Parker family. Since 1960 it has been owned by…
Long Melford railway station · 1.0 kmLong Melford railway station is a disused station that served the village of Long Melford in Suffolk, England. It opened in 1865 as "Melford" and was renamed "Long Melford" in 1884. The station was on the Stour Valley…
Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford · 1.5 kmThe Church of the Holy Trinity is a Grade I listed parish church of the Church of England in Long Melford, Suffolk, England. It is one of 310 medieval English churches dedicated to the Holy Trinity.
Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA)
Nearby towns
Compare Braintree with nearby areas
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Long Melford?
- Long Melford is a town in Essex, England, in the Braintree local authority.
- What is the population of Long Melford?
- Long Melford has an approximate settlement population of 2,898.
- How deprived is Long Melford?
- The Braintree local authority, which includes Long Melford, is around the average in England on the IoD2025.